Boy Scout
Advancement
Requirements Changes

Effective January 1, 2011

When there is a conflict between two published lists of requirements,
such as Boy Scout Requirements (BSA Publication
No. 33216) and a Merit Badge Pamphlet or the Boy Scout Handbook,
the requirements book should be considered to be the controlling document,
until a newer edition of Boy Scout Requirements
is issued.

A new edition of Boy Scout Requirements
( #33216 - SKU#34765) was released in mid January, 2011, and new pamphlets
were issued in 2010 for 11 merit badges, including the new Geocaching, Scouting
Heritage, and Inventing merit badges and revised editions for Architecture
and Landscape Architecture, Astronomy, Horsemanship, Model Design and Building,
Nuclear Science, Soil and Water Conservation, and Music (see below). The
new Boy Scout Requirements booklet has a minor addition
to Life rank requirement 4, a clarification to Eagle rank requirement 6,
and major revisions to 3 merit badges, minor changes to 2 merit badges,
and the requirements for the 3 new merit badges which were released in 2010.

A new 12th edition of the Boy Scout Handbook
(34622) was issued in the summer of 2009. That book contained new
requirements for each rank, which did not officially take effect until January
1, 2010. Scouts working toward ranks in 2009 could use the new requirements,
or could continue to use the old requirements, at their option. If
a Scout started work toward a rank before January 1, 2010, using the
requirements that were current before January 1, 2010, he may complete
THAT RANK ONLY using the old requirements. Any progress
toward a rank that is begun after January 1, 2010, must use the requirements
as they are presented in the Boy Scout Handbook
(34622) or in the current Boy Scout Requirements
book. The fact that a Scout can work on the requirements for Tenderfoot,
Second Class and First Class simultaneously does NOT mean that he is "working
toward all three ranks". He can NOT use the old requirements for all three.
Similarly, if a Scout has multiple merit badges, he is NOT "working toward
Star, Life, and Eagle". He may only use the old requirements for the NEXT
rank he completes.

Scouts starting work on any of these rank badges at this point must use
the new requirements.

BSA issued new editions of ALL of the merit badge pamphlets on August
1, 2008. The primary change to most of the pamphlets was the introduction
of color photographs and diagrams, and new covers. The actual text and requirements,
in most cases did not change from the previous editions. In some cases,
however, the new editions do contain new information, and new requirements.
If the copyright date in the new pamphlet is not 2008 or later,
the text in the pamphlet, including the requirements, did not change, only
the cover and illustrations. In addition, two of the old pamphlets,
for the Architecture and Landscape Architecture Merit Badges
were combined into a single pamphlet, although the Merit Badges remain separate
and distinct from each other. Also, one Merit Badge, Auto Mechanics,
was renamed to Automotive Maintenance, (and the emblem
on the badge was changed). Although a new edition of the Lifesaving
merit badge pamphlet was issued, the requirements did not change. However,
the footnote relative to alternative requirements for the Second Class and
First Class rank swimming requirements was deleted.

The new Robotics Badge, Pamphlet, and Kits were released
to Scout Shops by the BSA National Supply Division around March 29, 2011,
in advance of the formal rollout on April 12, 2011.

The new Chess Badge and Pamphlet was released to
Scout Shops by the BSA National Supply Division for the formal rollout on
September 7 2011.

In April or May, 2010, a new pamphlet, with revised requirements,
for MUSIC Merit Badge was released. The changes, which included dropping
Bugling as a separate merit badge, were to become effective on January 1,
2011, but Scouts with the new pamphlet could use the new requirements, if
they wished, during 2010. BSA later reversed their decision on the
dropping of Bugling Merit Badge. What we show below is what
was to change, but the requirements for both the Music and Bugling
merit badges shown in the 2011 edition of Boy Scout requirements are those
that were was shown before the MUSIC pamphlet was issued. We assume
that, if Scouts have a copy of the new merit badge pamphlet with Music only,
they can choose to earn the Music merit badge and complete the new bugling
option as part of the requirements for the Music merit badge as listed in
the pamphlet, or they may earn Music merit badge using the
previous requirements. The requirements
for Bugling merit badge are unchanged, even though they don't currently
appear in a merit badge pamphlet, although they do appear in an addendum
to the Music pamphlet, which is available from BSA.

RANK CHANGES

DISCONTINUED HISTORICAL MERIT BADGES

Carpentry
Pathfinder
Signaling
Tracking

These four Historical Merit Badges could only be earned
during calendar year 2010,
in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. Scouts may no longer earn these badges and may not
use them towards advancement
unless they were completed by December 31, 2010.
Advancement Reports for these badges must have been submitted by March 31,
2011.

NEW Merit Badges

REVISED Merit Badges

An addition was made to requirement 6, by adding
item (g) as a seventh option for Scouts teaching the EDGE method to another
Scout. The new option reads as follows:

While a Star Scout, use the EDGE method to
teach a younger Scout the skills from ONE of the following
sevensix
choices, so that he is prepared to pass those requirements to his
unit leader's satisfaction.

Three requirements from one
of the Eagle-required merit badges, as approved by your unit
leader.

The 2009 printing of the Boy Scout Handbook inadvertently
included bugler as a position of responsibility under Eagle Scout requirement
4; it is not. The corrected Eagle Scout requirement 4 will appear in
the next printing of the Boy Scout Handbook.

Set up a chessboard with the white king on
e1, the white rooks
on a1 and h1, and the black king on
e5. With White to move
first, demonstrate how to force checkmate on the black king.

Set up and solve five direct-mate problems provided
by your merit badge counselor.

Do ONE of the following:

Play at least three games of chess with other Scouts
and/or your merit badge counselor. Replay the games from your
score sheets and discuss with your counselor how you might have
played each game differently.

Play in a scholastic (youth) chess tournament and
use your score sheets from that tournament to replay your games
with your merit badge counselor. Discuss with your counselor
how you might have played each game differently.

Organize and run a chess tournament with at least
four players, plus you. Have each competitor play at least two
games.

The requirements for this badge were released by
BSA on April 12, 2010, and the badge and pamphlet were released in December,
2010.

The requirements are as follows:

Do the following:

Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards
you may encounter while participating in geocaching activities
and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate,
and respond to these hazards.

Discuss first aid and prevention for the types of
injuries or illnesses that could occur while participating in
geocaching activities, including cuts, scrapes, snakebite, insect
stings, tick bites, exposure to poisonous plants, heat and cold
reactions (sunburn, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, hypothermia),
and dehydration.

Discuss how to properly plan an activity that uses
GPS, including using the buddy system, sharing your plan with
others, and considering the weather, route, and proper attire.

Discuss the following with your counselor:

Why you should never bury a cache.

How to use proper geocaching etiquette when hiding
or seeking a cache, and how to properly hide, post, maintain,
and dismantle a geocache

The principles of Leave No Trace as they apply to
geocaching

Explain the following terms used in geocaching: waypoint,
log, cache, accuracy, difficulty and terrain ratings, attributes,
trackable. Choose five additional terms to explain to your counselor.

Explain how the Global Positioning System (GPS) works.
Then, using Scouting’s teaching EDGE, demonstrate the use of a GPS
unit to your counselor. Include marking and editing a waypoint,
changing field functions, and changing the coordinate system in
the unit.

Do the following:

Show you know how to use a map and compass and explain
why this is important for geocaching.

Explain the similarities and differences between
GPS navigation and standard map reading skills and describe
the benefits of each.

Explain the UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator)
system and how it differs from the latitude/longitude system
used for public geocaches.

Show how to plot a UTM waypoint on a map. Compare
the accuracy to that found with a GPS unit.

Describe the four steps to finding your first cache
to your counselor. Then mark and edit a waypoint.

With your parent’s permission*, go to www.geocaching.com.
Type in your zip code to locate public geocaches in your area. Share
the posted information about three of those geocaches with your
counselor. Then, pick one of the three and find the cache.
*To fulfill this requirement, you will need to set up a free user
account with www.geocaching.com. Ask your parent for permission
and help before you do so.

Do ONE of the following:

If a Cache to Eagle® series exists in your council,
visit at least three of the 12 locations in the series. Describe
the projects that each cache you visit highlights, and explain
how the Cache to Eagle® program helps share our Scouting service
with the public.

Create a Scouting-related Travel Bug® that promotes
one of the values of Scouting. "Release" your Travel Bug into
a public geocache and, with your parent’s permission, monitor
its progress at www.geocaching.com for 30 days. Keep a log,
and share this with your counselor at the end of the 30-day
period.

Set up and hide a public geocache, following the
guidelines in the Geocaching merit badge pamphlet.
Before doing so, share with your counselor a six-month maintenance
plan for the geocache where you are personally responsible for
the first three months. After setting up the geocache, with
your parent’s permission, follow the logs online for 30 days
and share them with your counselor.

Explain what Cache In Trash Out (CITO) means, and
describe how you have practiced CITO at public geocaches or
at a CITO event. Then, either create CITO containers to leave
at public caches, or host a CITO event for your unit or for
the public.

Plan a geohunt for a youth group such as your troop
or a neighboring pack, at school, or your place of worship. Choose
a theme, set up a course with at least four waypoints, teach the
players how to use a GPS unit, and play the game. Tell your counselor
about your experience, and share the materials you used and developed
for this event.

The requirements for this badge were released by
BSA on June 17, 2010.

In your own words, define inventing. Then do the following:

Explain to your merit badge councilor the role of
inventors and their inventions in the economic development of
the United States.

List three inventions and how they have helped humankind.

Do ONE of the following:

Identify and interview with a buddy (and with your
parent’s permission and merit badge counselor’s approval) an
individual in your community who has invented a useful item.
Report what you learned to your counselor.

Read about three inventors. Select the one you find
most interesting and tell your counselor what you learned.

Do EACH of the following:

Define the term intellectual property. Explain which
government agency oversees the protection of intellectual property,
the types of intellectual property that can be protected, how
such property is protected, and why protection is necessary.

Explain the components of a patent and the different
types of patents available.

Examine your Scouting gear and find a patent number
on a camp item you have used. With your parent’s permission,
use the Internet to find out more about that patent. Compare
the finished item with the claims and drawings in the patent.
Report what you learned to your counselor.

Explain the term patent infringement.

Discuss with your counselor the types of inventions
that are appropriate to share with others without protecting and
explain why. Tell your counselor about one nonpatented or noncopyrighted
invention and its impact on society.

Choose a commercially available product that you have
used on an overnight camping trip with your troop. Make recommendations
for improving the product, make a sketch that shows your recommendations,
and discuss your recommendations with your counselor.

Think of an item you would like to invent that would
solve a problem for your family, troop, chartered organization,
community, or a special-interest group. Then do EACH of the following,
while keeping a notebook to record your progress:

Talk to potential users of your invention and determine
their needs. Then, based on what you have learned, write a proposal
about the invention and how it would help solve a problem. This
proposal should include a detailed sketch of the invention.

Create a model of the item using clay, cardboard,
or any other readily available material. List the materials
necessary to build a prototype of the item.

Share the idea and model with your counselor and
potential users of your invention. Record their feedback in
your notebook.

Build a working prototype of the item you invented for
requirement 6*, then test and evaluate the invention. Among the
aspects to consider in your evaluation are cost, usefulness, marketability,
appearance, and function. Describe how your initial vision and expectations
for your idea and the final product are similar or dissimilar. Have
your counselor evaluate and critique your prototype.

Do ONE of the following:

Participate in an invention, science, engineering,
or robotics club or team that builds a useful item. Share your
experience with your counselor.

Visit a museum or exhibit dedicated to an inventor
or invention, and create a presentation of your visit to share
with a group such as your troop or patrol.

Discuss with your counselor the diverse skills, education,
training, and experience it takes to be an inventor. Discuss how
you can prepare yourself to be creative and inventive to solve problems
at home, in school, and in your community. Discuss three career
fields that might utilize the skills of an inventor.

*Before you begin building the prototype, you must share
your design and building plans with your counselor and have your counselor’s
approval

The badge, booklet, requirements, and kits for this
badge were inadvertently released by the BSA National Supply Distribution
Center to some Scout Shops around March 29, 2011, in advance of the official
start for the badge on April 12, 2011. Even though the requirements were
available to some in printed form, based on a specific request from BSA,
we delayed posting the requirements online until then (and removed the copies
we had posted earlier).

The requirements are as follows:

Safety. Do each of the following:

Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards
you may encounter while working with robots and what you should
do to anticipate, mitigate and prevent, and respond to these
hazards. Describe the appropriate safety gear and clothing that
should be used when working with robotics.

Discuss first aid and prevention for the types of
injuries that could occur while participating in robotics activities
and competitions, including cuts, eye injuries, and burns (chemical
or heat).

Robotics industry. Discuss the following with your counselor:

The kinds of things robots can do and how robots
are best used today.

The similarities and differences between remote-control
vehicles, telerobots, and autonomous robots.

Three different methods robots can use to move themselves
other than wheels or tracks. Describe when it would be appropriate
to use each method.

General knowledge. Discuss with your counselor three
of the five major fields of robotics (human-robot interface, mobility,
manipulation, programming, sensors) and their importance to robotics
development. Discuss either the three fields as they relate to a
single robot system OR talk about each field in general. Find pictures
or at least one video to aid in your discussion.

Design, build, program, test. Do each of the following:

With your counselor's approval, choose a task for
the robot or robotic subsystem that you plan to build. Include
sensor feedback and programming in the task. Document this information
in your robot engineering notebook.

Design your robot. The robot design should use sensors
and programming and have at least 2 degrees of freedom. Document
the design in your robot engineering notebook using drawings
and a written description.

Build a robot or robotic subsystem of your original
design to accomplish the task you chose for requirement 4a.

Discuss with your counselor the programming options
available for your robot. Then do either option 1 OR option
2.

Option 1. Program your robot to perform the
task you chose for your robot in 4a. Include a sample of
your program's source code in your robot engineering notebook.

Option 2. Prepare a flowchart of the desired
steps to program your robot for accomplishing the task in
4a. Include procedures that show activities based on sensor
inputs. Place this in your robot engineering notebook.

Test your robot and record the results in your robot
engineering notebook. Include suggestions on how you could improve
your robot, as well as pictures or sketches of your finished
robot.

Demonstrate. Do the following:

Demonstrate for your counselor the robot you built
in requirement 4.

Share your robot engineering notebook with your
counselor. Talk about how well your robot accomplished the task,
the improvements you would make in your next design, and what
you learned about the design process.

Competitions. Do ONE of the following.

Attend a robotics competition and report to your
counselor what you saw and learned about the competition and
how teams are organized and managed.

Learn about three youth robotics competitions. Tell
your counselor about these, including the type of competition,
time commitment, age of the participants, and how many teams
are involved.

Careers. Name three career opportunities in robotics.
Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required
for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain
why this profession might interest you.

The requirements for this badge were released by
BSA around April 15, 2010.

Note that the Footnote in requirement 4b was effective
only during 2010. If a Boy Scout or Venturer visited Adventure Base 100
during 2010, he should receive credit for that requirement, even if he completes
the merit badge subsequent to 2010.

The requirements are as follows:

Discuss with your counselor the life and times of Lord Baden-Powell
of Gilwell. Explain why he felt a program like Scouting would be
good for the young men of his day. Include in your discussion how
Scouting was introduced in the United States, and the origins of
Boy Scouting and Cub Scouting under Baden-Powell.

Do the following:

Give a short biographical sketch of any TWO of the following,
and tell of their role in how Scouting developed and grew in
the United States prior to 1940.

Daniel Carter Beard

William D. Boyce

Waite Phillips

Ernest Thompson Seton

James E. West

Discuss the significance to Scouting of any TWO of the following:

Brownsea Island

The First World Jamboree

Boy Scout Handbook

Boys’ Life magazine

Discuss with your counselor how Scouting’s programs have developed
over time and been adapted to fit different age groups and interests
(Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Exploring, Venturing)

Do ONE of the following:

Attend either a BSA national jamboree, OR world Scout jamboree,
OR a national BSA high-adventure base. While there, keep a journal
documenting your day-to-day experiences. Upon your return, report
to your counselor what you did, saw, and learned. You may include
photos, brochures, and other documents in your report.

Write or visit the National Scouting Museum in Irving, Texas.*
Obtain information about this facility. Give a short report
on what you think the role of this museum is in the Scouting
program.*If you visit the BSA’s national traveling
tour, Adventure Base 100, in 2010, you may use this experience
to fulfill requirement 4b. Visit www.adventurebase100.org (with
your parent’s permission) for the schedule and for more information.

Learn about the history of your unit or Scouting in your area.
Interview at least two people (one from the past and one from the
present) associated with your troop. These individuals could be
adult unit leaders, Scouts, troop committee members, or representatives
of your troop’s chartered organization. Find out when your unit
was originally chartered. Create a report of your findings on the
history of your troop, and present it to your patrol or troop or
at a court of honor, and then add it to the troop’s library. This
presentation could be in the form of an oral/written report, an
exhibit, a scrapbook, or a computer presentation such as a slide
show.

Make a collection of some of your personal patches and other
Scouting memorabilia. With their permission, you may include items
borrowed from family members or friends who have been in Scouting
in the past, or you may include photographs of these items. Show
this collection to your counselor, and share what you have learned
about items in the collection. (There is no requirement regarding
how large or small this collection must be.)

Reproduce the equipment for an old-time Scouting game such as
those played at Brownsea Island. You may find one on your own (with
your counselor’s approval), or pick one from the Scouting Heritage
merit badge pamphlet. Teach and play the game with other Scouts.

Interview at least three people (different from those you interviewed
for requirement 5) over the age of 50 who were Scouts. Find out
about their Scouting experiences. Ask about the impact that Scouting
has had on their lives. Share what you learned with your counselor

The requirements for this badge were revised with
the issuance of a new merit badge pamphlet.

Requirement 1 was reworded by splitting the sentences
into items a, b, and c. A new requirement 3d was added. Requirement 5b was
revised and new requirements 5c and 5d were added. Requirement 6 was deleted,
and old requirements 7-10 renumbered as 6-9. The wording of requirement
6b (old 7b) was revised. The wording of the first sentence of requirement
7a (old 8a) was revised, and the second sentence moved to a new requirement
7b. Requirement 7b (old 8b) was renumbered as 7c. The wording of requirement
9 (old 10) was revised. The changes to the last requirement are not included
in Boy Scout Requirements 2011, but do appear in the merit badge pamphlet.
We assume that was an editorial error.

The revisions are as follows:

Describe the proper clothing and other precautions
for safely making observations at night and in cold weather. Tell
how to safely observe the Sun, objects near the Sun, and the Moon.
Explain first aid for injuries or illnesses, such as heat and cold
reactions, dehydration, bites and stings, and damage to your eyes
that could occur during observation.Do the following:

Describe the proper clothing and other
precautions for safely making observations at night and in cold
weather.

Tell how to safely observe the Sun, objects
near the Sun, and the Moon.

Explain first aid for injuries or illnesses,
such as heat and cold reactions, dehydration, bites and stings,
and damage to your eyes that could occur during observation.

Describe the proper care and
storage of telescopes and binoculars both at home and in the
field.

Using the Internet (with your
parent's permission), books, and other resources, findFind out when each of the five most
visible planets that you identified in requirement 5a will be
observable in the evening sky during the next 12 months, then
compile this information in the form of a chart or table.
Update your chart monthly to show whether
each planet will be visible during the early morning or in the
evening sky.

Describe the motion of the planets across
the sky.

Observe a planet and describe what you
saw.

At approximately weekly intervals, sketch
the position of Venus, Mars or Jupiter in relation to the stars.
Do this for at least four weeks and at the same time of night. On
your sketch, record the date and time next to the planet's position.
Use your sketch to explain how planets move.7. Do the following:

Sketch the face of the Moon and indicate at least five seas
and five craters. Label these landmarks.

Sketch the phase and the daily position of the Moon at the
same hour and place, for a weekfour days in a row. Include landmarks
on the horizon such as hills, trees, and buildings. Explain
the changes you observe.

List the factors that keep the Moon in orbit around Earth.

With the aid of diagrams, explain the relative positions
of the Sun, Earth, and the Moon at the times of lunar and solar
eclipses, and at the times of new, first-quarter, full, and
last-quarter phases of the Moon.

8. Do the following:

Describe the composition of the Sun, its relationship to
other stars, and some effects of its radiation on Earth's weather
and communications.
Define sunspots and describe some of the effects
they may have on solar radiation.

Define sunspots and describe some of the
effects they may have on solar radiation.

b. Identify at least one red star,
one blue star, and one yellow star (other than the Sun). Explain
the meaning of these colors.

9. With your counselor's approval and
guidance, do ONE of the following:

Visit a planetarium or astronomical observatory. Submit
a written report, a scrapbook, or a video presentation afterward
to your counselor that includes the following information:

Activities occurring there

Exhibits and displays you saw

Telescopes and instruments being used

Celestial objects you observed.

Plan and participate in a three-hour observation session
that includes using binoculars or a telescope. List the celestial
objects you want to observe, and find each on a star chart or
in a guidebook. Prepare an observing log or notebook. Show your
plan, charts, and log or notebook to your counselor before making
your observations. Review your log or notebook with your counselor
afterward.

Plan and host a star party for your Scout troop or other
group such as your class at school. Use binoculars or a telescope
to show and explain celestial objects to the group.

Help an astronomy club in your community hold a star party
that is open to the public.

Personally take a series of photographs or digital images
of the movement of the Moon, a planet, an asteroid
or meteoroid, meteor,
or a comet. In your visual display, label each image and include
the date and time it was taken. Show all positions on a star
chart or map. Show your display at school or at a troop meeting.
Explain the changes you observed.

10. List at least
Find out about three different career opportunities in astronomy.
Pick the one you in which are most interested
and explain how to prepare for such a career. Discuss with your
counselor what courses might be useful for such a careerPick one and find out the education, training,
and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your
counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.

The requirements were substantially rewritten and
rearranged. In the merit badge pamphlet, the word "leading" in Requirement
3 was omitted, apparently, in error. The changes to the requirements are
as follows:

Do the following:

Describe the safety precautions you should take when handling
and caring for a horse.

Describe the fire safety precautions you
should take in a barn and around horses.Explain and demonstrate how to approach and
lead a horse safely from a stall, corral, or field and how to
tie the horse securely.

Demonstrate how to safely mount and ride
a horse and how to safely dismount the horse after your ride.

Name the 15 main parts of a horse.

Name four leading breeds of horses. Explain the special features
for which each breed is known.

Describe the symptoms of colic. Name and describe
four other horse health problems.Show how to care for a Western and English saddle
and bridle. Name10 parts of the saddle and bridle that you will
use.

Explain what conformation is and why it is
important. Explain the difference between lameness and unsoundness.Show how to groom, pick out hooves, prepare a
horse for a ride, and care for a horse after a ride.

Explain the importance of hoof care and why
a horse might need to wear shoes.Describe the symptoms of colic. Describe four
other horse health problems.

Demonstrate how to groom a horse, including
picking hooves and caring for a horse after a ride.Name three main conformation faults of the feet
and legs, and explain how to detect them. Explain the difference
between lameness and unsoundness.

Explain how to determine what and how much
to feed a horse and why the amount and kind of feed are changed
according to the activity level and the breed of horse. Explain how to trim and shoe a horse's foot and
how to make adjustments according to its conformation, the season
of the year, and the riding conditions.

Demonstrate the correct way to feed a horse.
Explain how you determined what and how much to feed the horse and
why the amount and kind of feed will be changed according to activity
level and the kind of horse it is.Do the following:

Name 10 parts of the saddle and bridle
that you will use, and explain how to care for this equipment.

Show how to properly saddle and bridle
a horse.

Demonstrate how to safely mount and dismount
a horse.

Explain and demonstrate how to approach and
lead a horse safely from a stall, corral, or field and how to tie
the horse securely. Show how to saddle and bridle a horse.

On level ground, continuously do the following movements
after safely mounting the horse. Do them
correctly, at ease, and in harmony with the horse:

Mount the horse.
b, Walk the horse in a straight line for 60 feet.

c.Make Walk the
horse in a half circle of not more than 16 feet in radius.

d. Trot or jog
the horse in a straight line for
at least 60 feet.

e. Make Trot
or jog the horse in a half circle of not more than 30
feet in radius at a jog or trot.

Lope (canter) the horse in a straight
line for at least 60 feet.

Lope (canter) the horse in a half-circle
not more than 30 feet in radius.

A revised merit badge pamphlet which merged Bugling
into Music, and with revised requirements, was released in early 2010. The
revised requirements weren’t to become official until the 2011 Boy Scout
Requirements book was released in January 2011. However, in August
2010, BSA reversed their decision to discontinue Bugling as a separate Merit
Badge. A replacement pamphlet, retaining both badges was released
during 2011 to replace it.

The 2011 Boy Scout Requirements book included the previous
requirements, with none of the changes shown below, and none of the changes
which were in the Music pamphlet released in 2010. In adition, and "Addendum"
was issued as an insert to the Music pamphlet, with the old (2004) requirements
for Bugling.

When the replacement pamphlet was released in 2011,
it contained some, but not all, of the changes which had been proposed in
2010. The changes shown below ( to items 3b, 4b, and 4d) are those
which were made to the earlier (2004) requirements.

The revisions are as follows:

Do TWO of the following:

Interview your parents and grandparentsan adult member of your family about
music. Find out what the most popular music was when
theyhe or she
was your age. Find out what theirhis or her favorite music is now, and
listen to three favorite tunes with themhim or her. How do
theirthose
favorites sound to you? Had you ever heard any of them? Play
three of your favorite songs for themyour relative, and explain why you
like these songs. Ask them what
they thinkhe or she thinks
of your favorite music.

Do ONE of the following:

Compose and write the score for a piece of music
of 12 measures or more, and play this music
on an instrument.

Catalog your own or your family's collection of
12 or more compact discs, tapes,or records, or other
recorded music. Show how to handle and store them.

Describe the hazards of radiation to humans, the
environment, and wildlife. Explain the difference between radiation
exposure and contamination. In your explanation, discuss the
nature and magnitude of radiation risks to humans from nuclear
power, medical radiation, and background radiation including
radon. Explain the ALARA principle and measures required by
law to minimize these risks.

Describe the radiation hazard symbol and explain
where it should be used. Tell why and how people must use radiation
or radioactive materials carefully.

Choose an element from the periodic table. Construct
3-D models for the atoms of three isotopes of this element,
showing neutrons, protons, and electrons. Use the three models
to explain the difference between atomic number and mass number
and the difference between the quark structure of a neutron
and a proton.

Do ONE of the following; then discuss modern particle
physics with your counselor:

Visit an accelerator (research lab) or university
where people study the properties of the nucleus or nucleons.

Name three particle accelerators and describe several
experiments that each accelerator performs.

Do TWO of the following; then discuss with your counselor
the different kinds of radiation and how they can be used:

Build an electroscope. Show how it works. Place
a radiation source inside and explain the effect it causes.

Make a cloud chamber. Show how it can be used to
see the tracks caused by radiation. Explain what is happening.

Obtain a sample of irradiated and non-irradiated
foods. Prepare the two foods and compare their taste and texture.
Store the leftovers in separate containers and under the same
conditions. For a period of 14 days, observe their 149 rate
of decomposition or spoilage, and describe the differences you
see on days 5, 10, and 14.

Visit a place where radioisotopes are being used.
Using a drawing, explain how and why they are used.

Do ONE of the following; then discuss with your counselor
the principles of radiation safety:

Using a radiation survey meter and a radioactive
source, show how the counts per minute change as the source
gets closer to or farther from the radiation detector. Place
three different materials between the source and the detector,
then explain any differences in the measurements per minute.
Explain how time, distance, and shielding can reduce an individual’s
radiation dose.

Describe how radon is detected in homes. Discuss
the steps taken for the long-term and short-term test methods,
tell how to interpret the results, and explain when each type
of test should be used. Explain the health concern related to
radon gas and tell what steps can be taken to reduce radon in
buildings.

Visit a place where X-rays are used. Draw a floor
plan of this room. Show where the unit, the unit operator, and
the patient would be when the X-ray unit is operated. Explain
the precautions taken and the importance of those precautions.

Do ONE of the following; then discuss with your counselor
how nuclear energy is used to produce electricity:

Make a drawing showing how nuclear fission happens,
labeling all details. Draw another picture showing how a chain
reaction could be started and how it could be stopped. Explain
what is meant by a “critical mass.”

Build a model of a nuclear reactor. Show the fuel,
control rods, shielding, moderator, and cooling material. Explain
how a reactor could be used to change nuclear energy into electrical
energy or make things radioactive.

Find out how many nuclear power plants exist in
the United States. Locate the one nearest your home. Find out
what percentage of electricity in the United States is generated
by nuclear power plants, by coal, and by gas.

Give an example of each of the following in relation
to how energy from an atom can be used: nuclear medicine, environmental
applications, industrial applications, space exploration, and radiation
therapy. For each example, explain the application and its significance
to nuclear science.

Find out about three career opportunities in nuclear
science that interest you. Pick one and find out the education,
training, and experience required for this profession and discuss
this with your counselor. Tell why this profession interests you.

The importance of maintainingMaintaining good health habits
for life (such as exercising regularly), and
how the use of tobacco products, alcohol, and other harmful
substances can negatively affect your health and your performance
in sports activities., especially
during training

The importance of maintainingMaintaining a healthy diet

This analysis was prepared as a service to Scouts and
Scouters nationwidePaul S. Wolf
Secretary
US Scouting Service Project, Inc.

Printed copies of this document may be freely distributed
for use in the Scouting program, so long as the source is acknowledged,
but copying the information to another web site is NOT authorized.

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